Line clamp



March 0, 51 M. D. BIBLE 2,545,555

LINE CLAMP Filed Oct. 2, 1947 Fig.4. Q

I m/entor Mi/berf 0. Bible eon W 3m Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relatesto new and useful improvements in line clamps for holding a line at any point intermediate its ends and more particularly to means for securing a clothes line in adjusted position in a clothes line frame of the type disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,337,175, dated December 21, 1943.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a line clamp for securely holding the line by a wedging action and without the danger of cutting or injuring the line by the clamping member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes line clamp of this character having a double wedging action with respect to the line whereby the line will be securely held at two points.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a clothes line support equipped with. the line clamp;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views through the clamp taken respectively on the lines 3-3 and 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numerals 5 and 6 designate a pair of rigid bars secured in a horizontal position in spaced parallel relation with respect to each other to posts I and a 8 by a clothes line 9 which extends through openings HP in the bars in the manner as disclosed in my aforesaid patent to stretch the line in parallel flights as shown at H between the bars 5 and B. V

The line B is passed back and forth adjacent parallel openings at as indicated in Figure 4, a part of the line being loose and looped as shown at [2 to provide for an adjustment of the line in accordance with the distance at which the bars 5, and 6 are placed with respect to each other.

In order to hold the flights l I of the line taut I provide a line clamp designated generally at l3 and comprising a pair of channel-shaped clamping members 54 positioned in the opposite ends of a tapered slot i5 extending vertically through the bar 5 and transversely with respect to the rounded vertical edge of the clamping members !4 may be moved into and out of gripping engagementwith the line. a

The upper and lower edges of the clamping members M are formed with outwardly rolled flanges Is to engage respectively the upper and lower surfaces of the bar 5 to hold the clamping members against vertical movement in the slot A tapered wedge ll of fiat construction is inserted in the slot l5 with its vertical edges received in the channels of the clamping members M. The upper and lower edges of the wedge I! are rolled as shown at l8 to provide finger grips for manipulating the wedge.

In the use of the invention the channel-shaped clamping members M are placed in the slot I5 as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 to bear against the rope I l in a pair of the openings lil extending through the cross bar. The forcing of the Wedge I! down in the channels of the clamping members M will spread the later apart and thus provide a double gripping action on the line to thus hold the line against slipping.

The upper and lower flanges IE on the clamping members I 4 hold the same in the slot l5 when the wedge I1 is loosened or removed and the channel-shaped construction of the clamping members H! with their rounded edges bearing against the rope eliminates any possibility of the cutting of the rope.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: r

1. In a line clamp, a body having a slot extending entirely through the body, said body also having openings passing through the body at right angles to the slot and intersecting the slot 3 at the ends thereof to partially expose a line in the slot when placed in either or both of said openings, a wedge inserted in the slot, and a pair of channel shaped separators in the slot and in which the side edges of the wedge are received to clamp the line in its opening.

2. In a line clamp, a body having a slot ex tending entirely through the body, said body also having openings passing through the body at right angles to the slot and intersecting the slot at the ends thereof to partially expose a line in the slot when placed in either or both of said openings, a wedge inserted in the slot, and a pair of channel-shaped separators in the slot and' in which the side edges of the wedge are receivedto clamp the line in its opening, said separators having a rounded web portion contacting the line.

MILBERT D. BIBLE;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 166,022 Mihills July 27, 1875 177,310 Barbour May 16, 1876 380,749 Erbe Apr. 10, 1888 591,198 Sexton Oct. 5, 1897 600,636 Curry May 15, 1898 1,154,916 Evans Sept. 28, 1915 1,183,767 Radtke May 16, 1916 1,256,824 Olson Feb. 19, 1918 2,081,773 Schmuck May 25, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 93,404 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1922 

